The rally
Photo: Herzel Yosef
Bedouins protest municipal budget cuts
Residents of southern Israel's Bedouin communities rally at Lehavim Junction. Local council head says cuts prevent them from meeting residents' needs
Hundreds of residents from the Negev's Bedouin councils staged a demonstration at Lehavim Junction on Highway 40, Monday, protesting municipal budget cuts.
The cut affected balance grants, meant to ensure a certain uniform level of municipal services.
Rahat Mayor Fayez Abu Saiban told Ynet that the city lost NIS 4 million (roughly $1 million) and as a result of the cut the city is unable to pay wages in full.
The rally (Photo: Herzel Yosef)
"These are underprivileged councils which are already in dire straits and this cut has hurt educational, social and sanitation services… we cannot meet the residents' needs. We will keep fighting until the government meets our demands," he said.
Kuseife Council Head Salem Abu-Rabi'a, whose council lost NIS 2.8 million ($740,000) to the cut, added: "We underwent a reform just two years ago and we were on the right track. This cut has taken us back and all of our efforts have gone down the drain… if this continues, we'll have to shut the council down."
The Interior Ministry offered the following statement: "The answer to this situation lies with the Treasury. The Bedouin sector is not the only sector to suffer from balance grants cuts. The ministry cannot funnel these funds, since it was not budgeted accordingly."
The Treasury countered: "In July 2009 the ministry and the National Union of Local Authorities signed an agreement saying that NIS 400 million ($106 million) would be added to the balance grants budget bringing it to NIS 2.4 billion ($641.5 million).
"The Treasury has funneled the sum in its entirety to the Interior Ministry which is responsible for all municipalities. The solution to any problem in the distribution of the funds lies with Interior Ministry."
Hagai Einav contributed to this report
